


Inside The Mind of Gabe

by bombshellblonde



Category: Shelter (2007)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-25
Updated: 2014-01-26
Packaged: 2018-01-09 22:27:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1151548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bombshellblonde/pseuds/bombshellblonde
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I was rewatching Shelter the other day and noticed a few of Gabe's facial expressions. It made me think that he knew about Zac and Shaun long from the second he came home. So that is what this is, Gabe's realization that his brother and his best friend are a couple.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Gabe knew something was up the second he got home. A friend from school had given him a ride down and when he got to the driveway he instantly recognized the car that was sitting there, it was Zach's. What would Zach be doing here if Gabe wasn't home? 

Maybe he was out back grabbing a quick surf session. It was still early enough that he must have just gotten there so Gabe walked around the back, hoping to surprise his best friend.

However, when he reached the area where they normally suit up and grab their boards, he saw not one but two wetsuits hanging on the fence to dry, and Zach's board was standing next to Shaun's, both a little dinged up like they went out together and rode hard.

'That's cool' Gabe thought to himself, Shaun probably let Zach crash last night or something. Gabe shrugged it off and went around to the front door making sure to close it nice and loud to wake up his brother and probably sleeping best friend.

“Yo Bro whadda know?” Gabe yelled, starting up the staircase. “Yoohoo Shauney poo! You're little brother Gabe's back! Where's my princess big brother?”

When Gabe reached the top of the stairs he noticed that the guest bedroom door was wide open and the room was untouched.

“Gimme a minute” Shaun yelled from the other side of the door, sounding like he just woke up.

“What do you got a guy in there you slut?” Gabe joked, starting to wonder where exactly Zach was...he couldn't be in there with Shaun could he?”

“No!” Shaun replied, though Gabe was hesitating to believe him.

“Ooh! Girl?”

“Yeah right!” Shaun replied, finally opening his bedroom door.

“What did I interrupt your beating off?” Gabe asked.

“I was sleepin.” Shaun replied, seeming to yawn and wipe sleep from his eyes. 

“Sleepin? With the door locked?” Gabe questioned. “Okay weirdo.” He started to move toward the closet to peak around. Maybe Shaun had someone hiding in there. Before he could even fully turn around Shaun grabbed his arm and pulled him into a hug.

“Hey bring it in dude!” Shaun said. Gabe hugged his brother back and tried to pull away. Shaun just kept smiling weirdly and holding Gabes head in place. Almost like he didn't want him to turn around and see something.

Gabe brushed it off and dove onto the bed, asking Shaun why he hadn't moved into his new place yet. The older man made some excuse about moving into an empty place being depressing, Gabe pointed out that their house was pretty empty, then again maybe he was wrong.

Gabe asked Shaun how he was doing since the breakup. He was sincere in his concern too because he knew that Shaun took it hard when everything fell apart. Shaun said he was doing well and Gabe said that mister right could still be out there. 

“You ready to hang up your pink Gucci suit and paddle out with your real bros?” Gabe teased. Shaun agreed and Gabe said he would call Zach. He got up to start heading downstairs then he heard the door slam closed. 

“Who was that?” Gabe questioned. Shaun made a guess that it was their cleaning lady.

“But she comes on tuesdays.” Gabe reminded him. Shaun looked flustered for a second before taking another guess that it was the pool guy or someone.

“You okay dude?” Gabe asked, noticing the weirdness of his brother. “You seem a little weird.”

“Nah man I'm just tired.”

“Okay,” Gabe said still skeptical but his rumbling stomach had him more worried about getting food. “Hey is there anything in the fridge or did you stock it with a bunch of low carb fag food? I'm fuckin starving!” He joked as he headed back down the stairs. Behind him he could hear Shaun reply that it was just a bunch of fag food. 

Gabe had been rummaging around in the kitchen for a few minutes when Shaun came and joined him, wearing pants now and a tank top that looked familiar. Once Gabe got a better look at it he realized that it Zach's, the boy didn't have that many clothes so he wore it all the time.

“Hey dude has Zach been hangin out here lately?” Gabe asked, closing the fridge and joining his big brother at the kitchen table.

“Your friend Zach? A little why do you ask?” Shaun asked. Gabe pointed at the shirt.

“That's his tank.” Shaun looked like a deer in the headlights, he looked down at the shirt like he was just realizing he was wearing it.

“Oh well he has been by to surf, guess he left this when he was changing one time.” Shaun explained, but to Gabe it sounded like he was making it up on the spot. This only further raised Gabe's suspicions.

“Alrighty then. Okay there is offically nothing to eat here. I saw Zach's board outback its got a few dings in it so I'm gonna patch it up and ask him to join us. That cool?”

“What? Oh yeah thats fine dude. He's a cool guy.” Shaun responded, he still seemed thrown to Gabe, but he figured everything would make a little more sense when he saw Zach. 

After he fixed up the board he headed to the diner where Zach worked and snuck in through the kitchen. Zach was acting just as weird as Shaun was this morning. 

When Gabe said that he fixed the ding is Zach's board, he said that he left it at the house forever ago. But Shaun had told Gabe that Zach had been over to surf. Those guys were definitely hiding something.

Zach and Gabe worked out a time to meet up but before Gabe left he couldn't resist landing one last comment.

“Nice shirt by the way.” He said, smirking and taking a bite of his burger. As soon as he said it he saw Zach look down in the exact same way Shaun had this morning. Like he was just then noticing that what he was wearing wasn't his. Gabe had recognized it from the second he saw it. That was Shaun's favorite shirt.

 

The weirdness continued when the three men met up at the beach later. Gabe and Shaun drove together and Zach met them there. There were definitely moments when they were changing into wetsuits where Zach and Shaun didn't think Gabe was looking, because he saw Shaun's eyes glued to Zach's bare torso. And Shaun asked Zach to help him zip up his back even though all of their suits had a rip cord specifically put there so they could zip up themselves.

However, once they were out in the water all the weirdness faded away. No matter what was ever happening between the three of them, if they were out surfing they were at peace. Shaun drifted off by himself toward the end of their bout and Zach and Gabe got to show off for each other like they always did. 

Once they were back on land Gabe tested the waters with Zach, asking if he and Tori were over for good this time. Zach said that they were and Gabe told him that was a good thing. Shaun came back over shortly after and Gabe walked a little ways down the beach. He looked over his shoulder when Zach and Shaun weren't paying attention and noticed icy weirdness between the two men. Shaun got up and walked away first, heading toward where Gabe was now standing having a smoke.

“Hey dude do you mind if we head back soon? I have a chapter waiting for me.” Shaun asked. Gabe nodded and put his cigarette out in the sand.

“Yeah we can leave now.” Gabe turned around and yelled to Zach. “Dude we gotta jet. Party at mine tomorrow night?”

“Yeah sure.” Zach responded. Each man headed back to the parking lot, packing up the two cars and driving away. 

It wasn't until Shaun was pulling up to his and Gabe's house that Gabe finally said something.

“So how long have you and Zach been hooking up?” Shaun was halfway out of the car when Gabe finally spoke, he almost fell to the ground out of surprise. Gabe smirked and got out too, reaching on top of the car to unhook the boards.

“The fuck you talkin about man?” Shaun asked, standing stunned, watching his younger brother unload the car.

“Oh come on its so obvious.” Gabe continued.

“I'm not hooking up with Zach dude. He isn't even gay.”

“Really? Dude how dumb do you think I am?” Gabe said, not unloading the car anymore, now standing with his arms crossed leaning up against the trunk.

“First of all I know you have always had a thing for him, plus his fucking car was parked outside of our house earlier today, yet when I came in you claimed to be sleeping alone in the house with the door locked. So I'm assuming he was still here when I got home? Cause that would account for the unexplained door slamming.”

“Dude I don't know why his car was here but-” Shaun started to explain stepping closer to his brother. Gabe stopped him, putting his hands on the older man's shoulders.

“You were wearing his shirt this morning and when I went to see him at the diner he was wearing yours. I saw you checking him out when we were changing at the beach and I saw how weird you guys were being around each other. So please cut the bullshit.”

“Gabe,” Shaun started, his eyes starting to tear up, Gabe hadn't seen his brother this nervous since the day he told Gabe he was gay. “Please I need you to forget you know any of this. If Zach finds out that you know he will never speak to me again.”

Gabe hated seeing his brother like this, he pulled Shaun to him in a hug as the elder brother started to slightly freak out.

“Dude calm down okay. I'm not gonna say anything to anyone, not until he is ready, I promise.”

“Thank you. Thank you Gabe. You have no idea how good that is to hear.”

Gabe pulled back from the hug and looked his brother in the eyes.

“Shit man, you and Zach aren't just hooking up. You love him don't you?”

“You have no idea how much.” Shaun responded, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

“Have you told him?” Gabe asked, reaching up to the roof and pulling down his board. Shaun did the same thing and followed Gabe around to the back of the house.

“Yeah...the other day.”

“Well did he say it back?” Gabe asked.

“No not yet...but its okay.” Shaun said, smiling to himself as he stood his board up on its end. “He doesn't have to say it...I kind of just know.”

“Bro that is by far the gayest thing I have ever heard you say.” Gabe joked, standing up his own board and dodging a smack to the head from Shaun.

“I'm so glad you are being cool about this. Are you sure it doesn't freak you out that I'm dating your best friend?”

“As if me not being okay with it would stop you?” Gabe said sincerely. “Nah man I love you both, he is as much family to me as you are. I didn't care when you told me you were gay and I'm not gonna care when he finally tells me. As long as you are both happy I'm happy.” Shaun smiled and pulled his brother in for a hug.

“You definitely don't suck as a brother.”

“Fuck you,” Gabe joked pushing the older man away playfully. “You can reward my awesomeness by ordering me some pizza. We need some man food up in this bitch!”


	2. Chapter 2

The night of Gabe's house party, he could tell Zach was upset the entire time. Gabe was telling the funniest stories he had and Zach wasn't even cracking a smile. Meanwhile Shaun was sitting up in his room, avoiding everyone.

Gabe was in the middle of a story Zach was even a part of, the Mexico trip donkey show story. Everyone at the party was cracking up but Zach was just sucking down his third beer of the night. Halfway through the funniest part Gabe saw Zach get up and walk back into the house. Gabe quickly told everyone to hold on a second and he ran after his best friend, grabbing him by the arm and stopping him. 

“Yo dude. Where are you going?” 

“I have to get out of here. Jeanie probably left Cody with dad again.” Zach said, clearly pissed off. 

“I just saw you chug three beers in like a twenty minutes I am not letting you drive right now.” 

“I will be fine man.” Zach said, shrugging him off and making a move for the door. 

“Come on don't be stupid. You drive like this and die in a crash who is gonna take care of Cody?” Gabe said, half joking half serious.

“Fine but I just don't wanna be around everyone right now. I'm gonna go sit in my car for a while okay?”

“Do you wanna talk about it?” Gabe asked, hoping this would be the time tat Zach finally nutted up and told him the truth.

“Nah man. I'll catch ya before you leave tomorrow okay?” Zach said, giving Gabe a hug and heading out before his friend could say another word. Gabe watched Zach go and started to turn around to rejoin the party, but not before he saw his brother head down the stairs and watch Zach go. 

Gabe walked up to his brother and grabbed his arm.

“You go talk to him now.” 

“Gabe I don't think he want to talk to me.” 

“Yeah well I'm worried about him and he still thinks I don't know so someone needs to talk to him.” Gabe said pushing his brother out the door.

He shut the door behind Shaun but then he decided that he needed to see what was going on so he walked outside and stood in the shadows so neither man could see him. He heard every word that was said in the car and had to restrain himself from pulling Zach out of the car and shaking some sense into him. When the conversation....otherwise known as breakup was over, Gabe saw Shaun get out of the car and stand there as he watched Zach pull away.

Shaun stood there for a few more minutes and Gabe took that as a chance to go back into the house and break up the party. 

“Hey you guys,” Gabe told his backyard full of guests. “I am so sorry I feel like a dick but I have to ask you guys to take the party elsewhere.” Everyone let out a collective groan of why but Gabe put up his hands to silence them. “I'm sorry I can't tell you why I can just promise that my next party will be a freaking rager with way better booze!”

The crowd seemed pleased with that compensation as they all peacefully began to gather up their belongings and filter back through the house. Shaun had already come back in the front door and started to make his way upstairs when he saw everybody leaving. 

“Yo dude, whats going on?” Shaun asked puzzled. Gabe never even left a party this early let alone shut down one of his own. Gabe helped the last of his guests out and shut the door behind them before grabbing his brother by the wrist and leading him to the kitchen.

“I heard everything that just went down in the car. I had a spidey sense that you needed many many drinks but I also want info so the people had to go.”

Shaun sat down at the kitchen table as Gabe went into their stepfather's liquor cabinet and pulled out a bottle of scotch. It wasn't one of his stupid expensive ones so he wouldn't be super pissed but it was strong and that was all they needed. He grabbed two glasses from the cupboard and sat at the table with his brother who had his head in his hands....crying.

“Oh dude you need this right now.” Gabe said, Shaun lifted his head and wiped away his tears. 

“He said he didn't know is this is what he wanted. He said that he was sick of being my childhood wet dream. Like out entire relationship meant nothing.” Shaun explained, he spoke like he had been punched in the gut, like he had no life left in him.

“Yeah I heard....he's just saying that stuff because he's scared bro.” Gabe said pouring the whiskey and passing a glass to his brother. “I'm sure this stuff isn't easy for him.”

Shaun took a sip of the drink and nodded. “He's acting like this is a choice, the way he is, the fact that he loves me.”

“Okay here is what we are going to do. Tonight we are going to get fucking hammered and tomorrow I am going to do down to Zach's work at closing and talk to him.”

“No Gabe-”

“He thinks he is going to loose everything if he comes out right?” Gabe asked, Shaun tentatively nodded. “Okay well then he needs to know that he and I are still bros.” Gabe knocked back the rest of his scotch then poured himself and Shaun another.

“Love is rough dude.” Shaun said. Gabe clinked glasses with him and nodded. He hated seeing his brother hurt so badly, espically since he knew his best friend was hurting just as much.

 

The next day, even though he was incredibly hung over, Gabe managed to make it to Zach's work.

Zach poured him a coffee and kept cleaning up, using any excuse not to look Gabe in the eye. The second Gabe brought up the fact that he knew, he saw Zach's body go stiff. He tried to deny it for a little while but stopped when Gabe mentioned that the fact that it was his brother was totally weird.

“I know,” Zach said, voice soft and weak.

“No I mean like..really, really fuckin weird.” Gabe said, half serious. He was taking this all well but that didn't mean that the situation was less out of the ordinary.

“I know I'm sorry.” Zach answered. Gabe felt bad for a second. He didn't want Zach to be sorry about falling for someone. So Gabe tried to make light of the situation and make a couple jokes but that only seemed to make Zach angry. Gabe almost couldn't take it when Zach asked him not to tell anyone.

He had been Zach's best friend for years. They saw eachother through the toughest times in each others lives. Zach was there for Gabe when his parents got divorced and Gabe was there for Zach when his mom passed away. Gabe knew what Zach was like when he was spiraling down a bad road and that break in his voice was a signal of bad things to come. 

The two men talked a little more and Zach seemed to get more upset the more they talked until he finally moved to open the door and kick Gabe out. Gabe didn't fight the demand and started to leave but before Zach could shut the door Gabe grabbed it. 

“We're still bros okay? I mean it.” He said before pulling Zach into a tight hug. Trying to make him understand that he hadn't lost his best friend. After a minute he let go and started to walk away. Zach closed the door behind him, but apparently didn't lock it cause Gabe turned around after a minute and opened it. Zach had started cleaning out the booths so his back was to his friend when he started speaking.

“He didn't have to tell me you know.” Zach whipped around and stared at Gabe, taken by surprise.

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean I'm not here because Shaun got drunk and told me or anything. I figured it out the day I came back, what with your car in my driveway and the weirdness between you guys on the beach. And when I told him I knew he begged me to stay quiet, he thought you would never talk to him again. So I wanted you to know I didn't come here because he told me. But last night I saw you guys in the car and afterwords he and I got hammered and talked all night.” 

Zach stayed silent, trying to take in all of this information.

“He is in love with you Zach. He's sticking around for another week so if you figure out what you want...call him okay?”

Zach nodded, his eyes getting red like he wanted to cry. Gabe nodded back and turned to leave again.

“Hey Gabe,” Zach called after him. “I'm sorry I didn't tell you..I just,” Gabe put his hand up to stop him.

“You don't have to apologize bro. We're all good. I mean it.” Gabe said seriously, making sure Zach understood. The other man nodded and closed the distance between them to take Gabe in a bone crushing hug. 

“Thank you.” Zach said, Gabe hugged him back and smiled to himself. He broke the hug after a minute and slapped his friend on the shoulder.

“Call me if you wanna talk okay?” Zach nodded at Gabes request, seeming to take a deep breath, like a weight had been lifted off his chest. 

“Later bro.”


End file.
